England footballer Lucy Bronze has joined the Lionesses in this year's FIFA Women's World Cup.
Amid the exciting tournament, HELLO! is taking a look at how the Northumberland-born star manages to juggle her career alongside dating and family life.
The 31-year-old defender ranks among the world's best right-backs and is arguably one of the most experienced members of the Lionesses squad.
Since making her debut in 2013, Lucy has enjoyed tremendous success on the pitch with notable highlights including her performances at the 2015 and 2019 World Cup competitions. And in 2022, the talented football pro triumphed in the UEFA Women's Euro alongside the likes of Chloe Kelly, Ella Toone and Jill Scott.
Her childhood
Hailing from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Lucy often credits her parents and immediate family as fundamental in propelling her career. Lucy, whose full name reads as Lucia Roberta Tough Bronze, was brought up bilingual thanks to her Portuguese father Joaquim, and her English mother, Diane.
Speaking to The Guardian, Lucy said: "Dad used to speak to us in Portuguese, but we always replied in English. That's probably why I'm not very comfortable speaking Portuguese."
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Encouraged by her older brother, Jorge, Lucy was exposed to football from a very young age. Her mother bought Lucy her first pair of football boots when the youngster was ten-years-old and in her last year of primary school, Lucy played football as the only girl in a team of boys.
When her football coach told Lucy that she would have to leave the team for fear of injuring herself in a mixed team, the football pro recalls how her stalwart mother said: "Right. No one is telling my little girl that she can't do something."
Lucy's incredibly close bond with her mother is clear to see. The 30-year-old sporting pro regularly shares snaps of her doting mum on Instagram, and only last year, Lucy paid tribute to her "number 1 fan since day one", with a pair of heart-warming photographs.
Her close bond with her brother
The Lioness moreover enjoys a rewarding relationship with her older brother, Jorge. Judging by her social media, Lucy seems to relish spending time with her nephew, Alfred, and niece, Alzira. Only yesterday, the 30-year-old paid tribute to her niece with an adorable snap commemorating her milestone first birthday. She captioned the post: "This little [lion] is turning one today" followed by a red heart emoji.
Her dating life
Whilst Lucy is incredibly open about her family, the Lioness keeps much of her romantic life under wraps. According to reports, the footballer is currently dating Manchester City's Keira Walsh. Although neither have made their relationship 'Instagram official', the duo have shared numerous loved-up snaps.
Most recently, Lucy shared a carousel of snapshots featuring Keira, alongside the caption: "The Spanglish girls are off to the final @art_of_football." Fans were quick to share sweet messages, with one writing: "Love that you and Keira are experiencing this together," while a second wrote: "What a year for both of u," followed by a blue and red heart emoji.
In May 2022, Keira shared a carousel of sun-drenched photos from a recent girls' trip to LA. Hinting at their relationship, Keira opted to use a sweet photo of the pair posing at the beach.
And back in 2019, the couple appeared to enjoy a romantic trip to Lyon. Alongside a trio of sweet snaps, Keira used the caption: "Days off well spent in Lyon."
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